Chapter 9: Back

I walked past the red house and the twins all the way down to the surf shop. The door opened and Paco embraced me. "Hey Paco I wanted to thank you for the iolite." He smiled and shook his head as I went to take it off. "It was a gift dear Valor." I handed him a few glass jars of dirt and sand. "I collected these when I traveled. I thought you might like them." He took them and smiled brightly. "Beautiful my dear friend." He looked at each label before  pocketing them. "So thoughtful you are." I laughed as he offered me a cup of tea. "Not tonight I'm afraid I have other stops, but how about a reincheck. Say tomorrow night?" He smiled and nodded as his necklaces clanked together.

He hugged me and watched as I desensed down the stairs. I didn't know which house to go to first, and I slowed near the end of the stairs. "Yellow house first." He said as if he was reading my mind before he dissappeared into his apartment. "He's definitely psychic." I muttered as I walked to the yellow house. I knocked, but there was no answer and the door was locked. I rounded house and headed for the front. I moved the lavender plant revealing a silver key.

I opened the house and locked the door behind me. I climbed the stairs and all their rooms where dark so I pushed foward to the next level. The twin where playing pool and Zane caught my eyes first and ran to me. The sound of poles hit the floor. "VALOR!" The twins said together as their arms went over Zane and I. "Hey guys."

When they let go I pulled out the gifts I had gotten them. An arrow head for Zane from Arizona, and a pick I palmed from a music store in Tennessee. A few vintage records for Mike, and a white colored wolf shirt from Yellowstone. Mark stepped to the side as I handed him some metal albums Black Sabbath, and a Metallica some I knew he'd like. I grabbed a black colored bear shirt from Yellowstone and tossed it at him.

I say there and told them where I went and what I saw through the six months I was gone, and they all listened. When I was done they where all silent. "Did Leah come back?" I asked as Zane shook his head. "No she said she fucked it all up, went hysterical and was going to try and find you. I guess she thought she knew where you would head." I jumped up. "I know where she is." I grabbed my bag. "You aren't staying?" Mike and Mark stood. "I'll be back."

They all loomed over me. "I'll be back before the first. Give this to Oliver for me. I handed them a book." All of them shook their head. "You give it to him when you come back, or he will be pissed we let you go again." An idea popped in my head. "Can I use your computer." Zane ran to grab it as the twins eyed me. I opened Google and searched motels in Orlando. I found a lot and groaned. I narrowed it down to ten and handed them all numbers. "Call and ask if there is a Leah Frank staying there if they say yes hand me the phone." They all took two as I started to dial. Mine where no good and just when I was going to give up Mark handed me his phone.

"Hey this is Valor Frank. I'm Leah's sister. There's a family emergency she needs to be aware of can you connect me to her room sir." He typed something before I heard it ring and I let out a breath. "Hello." Leah's voice came through. "Leah? It's Valor. Come home." She was crying I could tell by her breathing. "Leah, don't cry." She sucked it snot and I rolled my eyes, knowing it wasn't pretty when Leah cried. "I can't Valor, I fucked up and I can't take it back. I can't get your face out of my head." I took a deep breath and paced back and forth. "So you fucked up, I forgive you. Just come home, I'm back." There was a rustle in the bed. "I can't. I came here looking for you. Hooked up with a guy named B-something. Stupid name I know, but I'm three weeks pregnant."

My eyes grew as I looked around the room. "Um okay and what does B-something say about it." She sobbed harder and I knew it wasn't good. "He doesn't want it. Told me I was a slut, and I don't know what to do." I walked down the stairs and the boys followed, but I put up my hand and they froze.

"What do you want Leah." She sucked in again. "I can't get rid of my baby. Or give it up. I dont want them growing up like we did." I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Okay so pack up and come home. I'll help you. We have family that will help." I looked up the stairs to see all the guys looking down at me. "We have people here who will help and if you want I'll leave tomorrow and come get you." She sniffled again. "No I'll come. No reason for us both to travel. I'll need to find a place for us both." I nodded and looked up. "I have a few ideas." She let out a strangled laugh. "You always do." I smiled. "I'll be there as soon as I can." She hung up and I walked back up the stairs slowly.

"She's pregnant and doesn't know what to do." I said as they all came around me. "What does she want?" Mark asked as he looked over to Mike. "She wants to keep the baby, but she can't stay in Florida renting a crappy motel." I huffed and Zane's face caught my eye. He rubbed his chin, but stayed quiet.

"So if it's okay with you I'm going to give her my room, and I'll move here, or I'll move in Ollie's spare room. And let her have the two downstairs rooms across from him. That may work better so I'll be close if she needs help. Or me and her find a place near by. You know anyone who is selling?"

They nodded. "The house between ours and Ollie's They are moving into town. It's the same set up." Mike said as he looked at me. I nodded and grabbed my bag. "I have another stop before Ollie's. See you all tomorrow." I ran down the stairs and Zane stopped me. "If you need help let me know. He handed me a  black card. "Get the house and pay for it with this." I shook my head and slid the card in his shirt pocket.

He closed his eyes and I patted him. "I can't do that, but if you buy the house and let her stay I'm sure she'd be greatful." He grabbed my wrist. "You think she could love me?" He whispered and I nodded as a smile grew on his face. "I'm coming with you."

We walked and I told him how she liked him the first day, but didn't think she had a chance." He laughed as he knocked on the neighbors door. When the older couple opened the door Zane stepped foward. "Hey Mr. and Mrs. Nast, sorry to bother you so late. I just heard you are selling and wanted to make you a cash offer in person." They looked at each other then to Zane and me. "I'm willing to pay you your asking price if you can be moved out by tomorrow night. My lawyers are already drawing up papers and will email me them tomorrow morning." He said with more finality then I had ever heard. "We can do that we are all packed, the trucks coming tomorrow anyway. We just won't be able to clean it all by your dead line." Mrs. Nast shook. "I can clean it for free." I chimed in and Zane smiled. He tilted his head to the side. Mr. Nast stuck out his hand. "Agreed." They shook on it and closed their door.

"Look who decided to save the day." I said as Zane smiled. "Thank you Valor. I have to make a few calls and I'd appreciate of you kept my secret." He glanced and I nodded. "The fact you are crazy rich will never leave my lips after tonight. Well right now." He smiled and grabbed his phone. I watched him run back towards the yellow house and I turned toward the red one. I climbed the stairs and slid the glass door open closing it behind me. I took off my sneakers and tossed my socks into the washing machine along with my dirty clothes from my backpack.

I walked upstairs and didn't see Oliver in his room or in the theater room so I went into my room to see him curled under the white covers. I dropped my bag and turned on the lamp by the side of the bed. "Ollie?" He didn't move so I covered him and kissed his cheek. "Val?" He whispered before jolting up. "Hope you didn't have sex in my bed while I was gone." He pulled me down on top of him and rolled me over him. "I'm really glad you are home." He said as he pulled my braid. "Your hair is way longer." I nodded and took a deep breath.

"Tell me." He said as I started from the night of the party and ended with Leah being pregnant and alone at the moment." i huffed when I finished and cuddled next to my Big brother. "Just sleep tonight. She can move in here." I shook my head remembering my promise. "I'm gonna move above the theater and if you're okay let her have this room for her and the baby can stay in the next room." He nodded and I hugged him. "Oh I almost forgot." I jumped up and took the book out of my bag handing it to Oliver. He ran his fingers down the spine. "Treasure Island." He whispered as he looked up at me.

He ran his fingers over the embossed front. "I remember reading this to you." I nodded as he opened the book. And a postcard was on every page. "You kept my postcards." He kept going until he got to mine and then a pressed rose fell out. "Where did this come from?" He took his time and slid it back into the book. "Their grave is near a greenhouse, I took a rose and pressed it for you." Oliver flipped the pages as he looked at a picture of Mom and Dad. And then pictures of us and then of me and Leah. He pulled one out of me singing on stage. "You sing?" I nodded and sat st the foot of the bed. "I play guitar too. I was playing that night when I met Diego." I flipped another page and a picture of him and I fell out. "He was my first boyfriend, and last."

He slid the pictured from my fingers and looked at it. "I missed a lot huh?" He said as he flipped through. "Yeah, but you won't miss anymore." He crunched up his face. "What happened with you and Diego?" I glanced at the wall and the back at Oliver. "He cheated on me with another girl and kept trying to get me to do drugs...Pressuring me to do things, so I dumped him." Oliver froze and stopped at a picture of him sitting at a café.